Henry vander weyde



H. VANDBR WEYDE. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING BLOGK ICE INTO GUBBS.

(No Model.)

No. 566,038. Patented Au 13,1896.

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g UN T D; ST TES PATENT OFFIC v HENRY VANDER VVEYDE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING BLOCK-ICE INTO CUBES.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,038, dated August18, 1896. Application filed November l2, 1895- $erial No. 568,679. (Nomodel.)

.To aZZ whom it NZQ Z/lOOTLCQTZfI/J Be it known that LHENRY VANDERWEYDE, artist and electric-light photographer, of 182 Regent Street,London, VW, England, have invented a new and useful Apparatus forCutting Block-Ice into Cubes, of which the following is a ful1,clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for use in cutting upblocks of ice into small cubes of a size suitable for use at table; andit consists in the combination, with a gang of circular saws, of aguide-trough and sliding cage-like holder for holding and guiding theblock in the operation of presenting it to the saws three successivetimes for the purpose of being sawed in three sets of planes, each setintersecting the others at right angles as required for dividing theblock into cubes.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 a sideelevation, and Fig. 3 an end elevation, each partly sectional,illustrating the apparatus for dividing a block of ice into cubes. Figs.4 and 5 show in perspective, viewed from beneath, the cage like holderfor the block of ice while being sawed.

The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

The cutting of the block A first into slabs 1 2 3 4t 5 6, then intoprisms, and finally into cubes is performed by means of a gang ofcircular saws B, mounted on a common shaft 1), the saws rotating throughslots in the bottom of a trough-like guideway O and proj ecting uptherein a height rather greater than that of the block to be cut. Thetrough or-guideway O is made of a width to just receive a cage-likeholder D, within which the ice block A is held while being presented tothe saws. This cage-like holder D is of square form -in plan, is open atbottom, and of a size internally to just receive the ice block A withinit. It has a square top frame which projects beyond the four sides, soas to be adapted to run on the edges of the guidetrough O and beneathinwardly-projecting flanges c, fixed thereon. The opposite sides of theholder are vertically slitted, as'at d, at distances apart correspondingto the saws, so as to give passage to the saws when the holder is slidalong the guide-trough, the square form of the holder and the fact thatall four sides are slitted enabling the holder and the contained slabsinto which the block is cut to be presented to the saws a second time ina direction at right angles to the first without removal from theholder. The holder may, however, be slitted on two opposite sides only.The holder is provided with a weighted top D, which fits removably inthe top frame of the holder, for a purpose hereinafter referred to, andwhich rests upon the top of the ice block A. The under side of this toppiece is grooved, as at d, in register with the side slits d of theholder to give passage to the saw-teeth which rise above the block A.

The cutting of the block A into slabs is performed by sliding theholder, with the contained block, along the trough until the saws havepassed completely through the block, any tendency of the saws to tiltthe block and holder being resisted by the engagement of the projectingtop frame of the holder beneath the guide-flanges o of the trough. Acounting mechanism, such as that shown at E, may be mounted in the sideof the trough C, so as to be operated by the holder in its passage alongthe trough, striking a friction-roller carried by a lever e, in order toregister the num ber of blocks operated on.

After the first passage of the saws through the block the slabs intowhich it is thereby divided may be subjected to a branding operation,whereby a trade-mark or ornamental device is impressed on one face ofeach of the cubes into which the block is to be ultimately divided.For-this purpose the slabs, while still contained in the cage-likeholder D, are slid along the table to branding apparatus, such as thatforming the subject of another application for Letters Patent of evendate herewith. The slabs, whether thus branded or not, are thensuperposed one upon the other fiatwise, the cage-like holderD is placedover them, and the Whole presented to the saws, whereby the superposedslabs are divided into prisms. By then turning the holder D and thecontained prisms a quarter-round upon the table and again presenting themass to the saws the prisms are cut across and thereby divided intocubes.

It will be seen that the holder D serves to keep in their places theslabs and prisms produced by the first and second cutting operations, sothat the presentation of the divided mass of ice in compact form. to thesaws and the retention of the pieces in their proper position, bothduring and after the sawing, is rendered possible. The purpose of makingthe holder D open at top and providing it With a removable weighted topD is to admit of the introduction of a sheet-metal case Within theholder D and around the cubes of ice for the purpose of temporarilyinclosing them and holding them in place in the operation of packingafter the holder D is removed.

I claim 1. Apparatus for cutting block ice into cubes, consisting in thecombination, with a gang of circular saws mounted to Work in atrough-like guide, of a cage-like holder adapted to embrace the iceblock having its sides vertically slotted from the bottom upward tocorrespond, and give passage, to the saws and having a solid frame atthe upper part adapted to slide 011 and in engagement With the sides ofthe trough, substantially as specified.

2. In apparatus for cutting block-ice into cubes, the combination, Witha gang of circular saws Workin g in a guide-trough and With a holder forthe block having vertically-slitted sides and adapted to slide on and inengagement With the sides of the trough, of a top presser-piece adaptedto rest 011 the ice block and grooved to give passage to the saws, asdescribed.

HENRY VANDER WEYDE.

In presence of- G. F. WARREN, J osEPH LAKE.

